Immediately, the Psalmist gives us the context from which we so often pray, “Incline your ear, O Lord, answer me, for I am poor and needy.” This includes all of us. From the depths of despair, the psalmist cries out to God for help.
The reason we can come to our Lord in every circumstance is recorded in vs. 5, “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.”
Our Father is loyal and full of grace. This is the Father’s goodness in action. It is His unwavering devotion to the salvation of His people. Which, of course, was fulfilled in the cross of Christ our Savior. When we call upon God, speaking His name in repentance and prayer He will act decisively for us because of His great mercy and grace. With the Lenten hymn we can say, “Glory be to Jesus who in bitter pain, pour for me life blood, from His sacred veins.“ 1
Hymn: Grant Peace, We Pray, in Mercy Lord(Lutheran Service Book 778)
Grant peace, we pray, in mercy Lord;
Peace in our time, O send us!
For there is none on earth but You,
None other to defend us.
You only, Lord, can fight for us.
Rejoice, O Lord, the countenance of Thy servants; and deliver our souls from the lowest hell, that protected by Thy mercy, we may with spiritual strength tread fleshly desires under foot; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with Thee and the Holy Ghost, One God, world without end. Amen. 2
Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth Your right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. 3
1. Glory Be to Jesus, stanza 1, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
2. Collect © 2005 Lutheran Liturgical Prayer Brotherhood
3. Collect for Saturday after Ash Wednesday, http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/LentenCollects.htm
Image © Ed Rojas Higher Things
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